Say hello to Ma Khin, a 44-year-old woman from Burma! She’s living with rheumatic heart disease, which means she frequently experiences chest pain, heart palpitations and difficulty breathing. It’s hard for her to walk long distances, and she gets tired very quickly. As a result, she’s unable to leave the house without assistance, and had to close her small shop. Ma Khin lives with her mother and 20-year-old son. Her husband left eight months ago without taking responsibility for her health care, and her illness is causing stress for her other family members. Ma Khin’s older brother provided some money towards her medical expenses, but he is unable to pay for any more treatment. For $1500, Ma Khin can have valve replacement surgery which will stop her chest pain, fatigue and other symptoms. She will have the strength to re-open her shop and support her son so he can continue his studies. She said she’s grateful to have this opportunity for treatment, and would like to return to a normal, healthy life. Let’s help her out!

Maria, a newborn just under two weeks old from Guatemala, was the result of an undesired pregnancy. Luckily, a wonderful family in a rural community eagerly adopted Maria, raising her as their own. Our hospital partner, Wuqu' Kawoq, writes. "they are so excited about this little child, and they brought her to see us. The major problem is that, since she is adopted, there is no maternal milk supply. Furthermore, her new family is quite poor and can't therefore afford to buy milk formula for the baby. They are struggling to scrape together what money they have, but in the meantime, the child is losing weight and not growing well." They add, "it was a real pleasure to meet this family, the parents are so excited to have a new baby and to be able to have adopted this little one out of a bad situation. At the same time, they're worried about how to make ends meet, and they've come to us for help." For $1220, we can provide the final step for Maria achieving health and happiness with her new family. Maria will receive close growth monitoring treatment by nutrition experts. Her new mom will receive coaching on how to properly supplement with formula and will be provided with all the necessary infant formula Maria will need through her first year of life. With this treatment, Maria will regain weight quickly and grow and develop normally.

Say hello to Maria, a 60-year-old woman from Guatemala. Maria's doctor from Watsi's medical partner, Wuqu' Kawoq says, "Maria has had diabetes for decades. This has led to clouding of her lenses and damage to the retina, making vision difficult. This interferes with her work around the house and with economic activities, such as weaving." Maria's doctor adds, "Maria is extremely motivated and her diabetes is extremely well controlled. She should be a breeze for an uncomplicated surgery, and she is very excited to get this out of her way." For $1500, Maria will receive a stabilization of the retinal disease that has resulted from her diabetes, leading to a dramatic improvement in vision with removal of the cataracts. Not only will this improve her independence, but it will also bring about a major change in her quality of life. Let's help Maria see clearly once again!

Thidar is a 41-year-old mother of five and the breadwinner of her family. Up until recently Thidar owned and managed her own food shop in Burma, where she sells prepared food and vegetables. Thidar has uterine tumors that cause severe side effects. Thidar’s abdomen is distended, making it difficult for her to move easily or sit for long periods of time. Due to the pain and complications as a result of her illness, Thidar has a hard time taking care of herself and her children. She was forced to close her shop four months ago. It’s been a long road for Thidar, who has been experiencing pain since 2013 and has spent much of her savings for medical care though wasn’t diagnosed with myoma until very recently. However, diagnosis has given her hope at last that she will be relieved of pain and discomfort so she can reopen her shop, allowing her to save money to send her youngest child to school and care for her family as she used to. We need $865 to pay for the surgical removal of Thidar’s myoma to restore her health. Once she is back in good shape, Thidar would like to move closer to her mother and extended family and reopen her shop. Let's do this!

This adorable face belongs to Guvenson, a one-year-old boy from Haiti. Guvenson lives with his mother, a 20-year-old student and his grandparents, who work as farmers. After noticing that her son seemed to be in pain, Guvenson’s mom took him to a local hospital. He was diagnosed with Hirschsprung’s Disease, a condition that affects the large intestine (colon) and causes problems with passing stool. If left untreated, Guvenson will be at risk for a serious infection of the intestines called enterocolitis, which is caused by a backup of stool in the large intestine. For $700, Guvenson can receive surgery to remove the damaged part of his colon. Doctors will also perform a colostomy, a procedure in which the healthy end of the colon is connected to a bag that is placed outside of the body. This opening, in conjunction with the attached bag provides an alternative channel for feces to leave the body. Later, doctors will perform a second surgery to reconnect the colon to the rectum, which will allow for normal passage of stool. These procedures will eventually allow Guvenson to have a healthy, happy childhood!

This handsome face belongs to Elvis, a one-year-old little boy from Guatemala. He lives with his parents and older brother, Henry. Interestingly, this family is no stranger to Watsi! Henry was a patient in the past, and Watsi is excited to continue to provide “family based care” to this deserving family! Like his brother, Elvis was born with blocked tear ducts in both eyes. This means that his eyes are constantly irritated and that his tears do not drain properly. In addition to being a cosmetic issue, this leads to frequent painful infections of the tear ducts. For $1,500 Elvis can receive bilateral tear duct surgery, as well as the associated lab work, medications and transportation to and from the hospital. Successful surgery should allow Elvis’ tear ducts to drain normally, which will alleviate the pain and discomfort he is experiencing. Additionally, his appearance will improve. Let's help this family for a second time and give Elvis the same care we gave to his older brother!

Benjamin is a 58-year-old man from Kenya. He is married, and the father of eight grown children. Benjamin works as a carpenter, and all of his children do whatever work they can find. The family works hard, but struggles to earn a sustainable living. Last month, Benjamin fell from the roof of a home and broke his thigh bone. He is in extreme pain, and is unable to walk or stand, let alone work. Benjamin needs surgery to repair the break in his femur. Without treatment, the pain will continue, and the broken bone could cause damage to the surrounding tissues and cartilage in his thigh. There is also the risk that the bone could become infected, which could lead to amputation. Benjamin says “I want to get well so that I can go back to work because I need to provide for my wife.” $1,200 will pay for Benjamin’s surgery, medication, and hospitalization. Let’s help this man get back on his feet and back to work providing for his family!